Bert sotjchet



(No Model.) n

- M. E. A. SOUOHET. ARTIFICIAL FLOWER AND MODE OF MAKING SAME.

No. 490,170. Patented Jan. .17, 1893.

M3353; INVENTOH Z ms was PEYERS 0o, FHUTO-LITHQ, wasumurou o c Nrrno STATES ATENT prion.

MATHIEU ERNEST ALBERT SOUCHET, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARIE OLLIER, OF SAME PLACE.

ARTlFlClAL FLOWER AND MODE OF MAKING SAME.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,170, dated January 17, 1893.

Application filed March 1, 1892. Serial No. 428,421. (No specimens.) Patented in France July 20, 1882, No. 150,203, and October 2, 1883,1lo. 157,811.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MATHIEU Ennnsr AL- BERT SOUCHET, manufacturer, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented Artificial Flowers and Mode of Making the Same, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in France, dated July 20, 1832, No. 150,203, and October 2, 188$,No. 157,811,) of which the following is a specification.

The invention forming the object of the present application relates to a species of artificial flowers and foliage composed of celluloid destined for use in the production of articles for funereal purposes such as wreaths, crosses, bouquets and the like and of other fancy or fashionable or other articles in which such flowers and foliage are capable of being employed. These flowers and foliage present among other advantages that of being absolutely impermeableto moisture or water proof and of being capable of being exposed to wet or damp without any danger of losing their shape or being otherwise injured thereby; moreover they present an appearance of freshness and brightness of color that is truly remarkable.

The accompanying drawing illustrates how an arrangement of roses and leaves may be made up by my invention. The manufacture of these articles is most simple and is efiected with the greatest case. are due to the special material employed namely celluloid which is an article of commerce and can be purchased in plates or sheets of any desired thickness. The material in question is cutout by machinery or by hand according to the profile or contour of the developed elements of the flowers or foliage to be obtained. In performing this cutting out operation a number (four for example) of the sheets of celluloid being as thin as possible and of any general tint or color corresponding to the class of flower or foliage to be manufactured are placed one upon another in a pile. The elements being thus cut out are immersed in a bath of alcohol or methylated spirit for a period which may vary from fifteen to twenty minutes for the purpose of softening the materials and facili- All these advantages tating the subsequent operations of painting or coloring and bending or shaping.

The coloring operation consists, in the preparation of petals of flowers for example in coloring certain parts of the petals with a shade of a different tint to that of the local color. This operation is performed while the materials are still damp that is to say after they have been simply dried with blotting paper after the immersion in the spirit. This moisture or dampness enables the color to penetrate into the substance of the materials in such a manner that it is fixed under the most favorable conditions moreover it shades off the color or merges itinto the local or ground color with the happiest effect. All the colors employed for these incidental or supplementary tints are of an alcoholic base which further insures their penetration. This coloring may be done on dry materials but in this case the penetration above described does not take place the colors are not so well fixed and the shading off is less even, the color being merely superficial may also be removed by repeated rubbing. Nevertheless this mode of operating may be found suitable in some cases such as the preparation of foliage which does not require so much perfection or delicacy of execution as flowers do. In any case the folding or bending of the elements of the flowers and foliage is proceeded with after the coloring. In the case of the flowers the bending or shaping is performed by hand piece by piece (the materials being always in a moist condition) and the shapeimpartedin this operation depends upon the nature of the flower to be produced (being an operation in which the manual dexterity and taste of the operator play an important part) and in the case of foliage the bending is done with the aid of heat by means of a die or matrix and stamp or punch reproducing in sunk and relief design the ribs, ridges or lines which usually appear on the surfaces of leaves. The leaves and the petals of the flowers being out out, colored and bent to shape are finally mounted on the stems. The mounting is done on a piece of galvanized iron wire the parts being attached by means of a special cement composed of acetic acid or pyroacctic (acetonic) acid and celluloid waste one part of acetic acid being employed to three parts of the pyroacetic acid. The cement alone is sufficient to attach the leaves but for the flowers it is advisable to wind a very fine iron wire at the foot of each cemented petal in order to secure it in position while the other petals are being put on. The flowers are finished if necessary bya few leaves which envelop them more or-less and which are attached to the stem as hereinbefore explained and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The feet or bases of the leaves are finally covered with atube orornament of celluloid produced in the same way as the leaves and petals.

I claim 1. As a new article of manufacture, artificial flowers or foliage having the several parts made of sheets of celluloid cut out and bent up to the shape of the said parts, colored to imitate natural colors, and the several parts mounted together like natural flowers of foliage, all substantially as described.

2. The herein described process of making artificial flowers or foliage, consisting in cutting out sheets of celluloid to the shapes of the various parts of the flowers or foliage, then softening them, bending them up to their natural shapes, and mounting the parts together like the natural flower or foliage, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein described process of mannfacturin g water-proof artificial flowers or foliage, consisting in shaping them from celluloid and then applying spirit colors on the material while moist to represent the natural colors, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The herein described process of manufacturing artificial flowers or foliage, consisting in cutting out thin sheets of celluloid to the shapes of the various parts of the flowers or foliage, painting and coloring the same and bending or shaping them and finally mounting them in the desired forms to represent flowers or foliage, all substantially as set forth.

5. The herein described process of manufacturing artificial flowers or foliage, consisting in cutting out sheets from celluloid, im-

mersing the cut-out pieces in a bath of alco- MA'IIIIEU ERNEST ALBERT SOUCIIE'I.

Witnesses:

LEoN FRANCKEN, RoBT. M. HOOPER. 

